The growing coordination between Venezuelan criminal structures and transnational networks has transformed the Caribbean into a strategic corridor for cocaine trafficking. High-ranking military commanders and political operators within the Nicolás Maduro regime — who constitute the Cartel of the Suns (CdS) — protect these illicit movements through the Caribbean, forcing island states to strengthen maritime surveillance and operational cooperation.
As Armando Rodríguez Luna, an expert at the Mexican security and intelligence consulting firm Nzaya, points out, “in recent years, several factors have coincided to strengthen the routes through Venezuela: the increase in Colombian [drug] production from about 2,200 to almost 3,000 metric tons, the Maduro regime’s growing collaboration with criminal networks, and the expansion of the European market.”
Expanding the strategic corridor
The threat is compounded by the transnational expansion of other Venezuelan criminal organizations. The Tren de Aragua (TdA), designated a terrorist organization by several nations, uses the same networks established by the migrant crisis to facilitate human trafficking, extorsion, and smuggling operations, further contributing to cross-border instability and criminal penetration in the Caribbean corridor, all with the tacit support and complicity of the Maduro regime.
International security analysts and think tanks emphasize that Venezuela has established itself as one of the main transit routes for cocaine to European and U.S. markets. This phenomenon is driven by political instability, rampant corruption, and the direct involvement of security officials in illicit operations.
“The relationship between the Venezuelan regime and organized crime is sustained by the participation of officials, especially from the armed forces and political operators who facilitate the movement of shipments through customs, roads, ports, and airfields,” Rodríguez said. “This enables the operation of Venezuelan, Colombian, and Mexican networks.”
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Colombian cocaine enters Venezuela through border areas such as Catatumbo and Vichada and is then transported by sea and air under the control of networks associated with the CdS. At sea, shipments are transported between islands in speedboats to evade patrols.
InSight Crime, an organization dedicated to the study of organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean, describes the CdS as a decentralized network of military cells that combine smuggling, illegal mining, and drug trafficking. Officials facilitate clandestine flights and cargo movements in exchange for bribes or direct participation.
This illicit dynamic fuels corruption and strengthens cross-border networks of violence, driving gang activity, arms trafficking, and other related crimes, CSIS indicates. The result is a progressive erosion of the stability and institutional capacity of Caribbean states.
Regional cooperation in the face of a shared threat
Faced with the advance of Venezuelan-linked drug trafficking, Caribbean countries have intensified their operational coordination by utilizing key regional and international frameworks.
Operational integration is primarily managed through two interlocking organizations. The Regional Security System (RSS) coordinates crucial functions like maritime surveillance, border control, and rapid deployment of military and police forces among its members. Meanwhile, the Treaty of San José, promoted by the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and which came into force in 2008, is responsible for the exchange of tactical intelligence and the reinforcement of joint patrols and aerial surveillance.
These partnerships extend to international enforcement bodies. For example, Operation Calypso, a November 2024 collaboration between the World Customs Organization and CARICOM IMPACS, has successfully enhanced customs cooperation, leading to the improved interception of maritime routes used for illicit trafficking.
The tangible results of this strengthened framework are evident in recent interdiction efforts. The Dominican Republic, a vital partner, has boosted its collaboration with CARICOM IMPACS through maritime interdiction programs, training, and shared databases, the Dominican Foreign Ministry indicated.
This cooperative success was demonstrated on November 15, 2025, when Dominican authorities, working in support of U.S. Southern Command’s Operation Southern Spear, intercepted a vessel off the coast and seized 500 kilograms of cocaine. The operation, which involved coordinated action by air, sea, and land units, highlights the effectiveness of enhanced regional intelligence and operational capacity.
Criminal hubs in the Caribbean
“Networks linked to Venezuelan officials operate most strongly in Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica,” Rodríguez said. The first two, due to their proximity to the Venezuelan coast, function as natural collection points, while Jamaica, although more distant, has established itself as a bridge to Europe, thus strengthening its criminal organizations.
Rodríguez stresses that the increase in illicit flows requires improved intelligence capabilities and regional coordination. Many island states have limited resources to monitor their maritime spaces, while Mexico and some Central American countries currently face significant challenges to internal stability, including vulnerabilities to corruption and transnational criminal influence, which constrain their role in combating this threat.
International assistance and joint progress
While regional bodies lead local enforcement, specialized U.S. and multilateral assistance is vital for enhancing the financial and technological capabilities of Caribbean partner states.
The Caribbean Security Initiative (CSI), led by the United States, channels essential resources for training, technological equipment, and strengthening the operational capabilities of coast guards and security forces. The goal is to improve port management, cargo detection, and the overall response to illicit flows.
This cooperation enables high-level intelligence sharing and joint operations between international and national agencies. These efforts are coordinated through mechanisms such as Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South), a component of SOUTHCOM, and multinational exercises to identify routes, track vessels, and integrate national units into joint operations.
Multinational organizations also promote specialized governance. The Organization of American States (OAS), through its Multidimensional Security Program, promotes specialized working groups on maritime governance, seeking to improve interoperability between naval forces and optimize communication channels in the fight against drug and arms trafficking.
This collaboration allows Caribbean law enforcement to participate in high-impact operations far beyond their traditional maritime borders, demonstrating the reach of shared intelligence.
On June 14, 2025, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) played a key role in dismantling a transnational network during Operation Vikings, seizing more than 1.5 tons of cocaine on a yacht off the Azores Islands in Portugal. This major transatlantic blow was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the TTPS Transnational Organized Crime Unit, intelligence support from the DEA, and authorities in Denmark, Spain, and Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday reported.
Toward deeper cooperation
“The region needs more active participation from international organizations, with the OAS as the coordinating body,” Rodríguez said. “Institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank can promote investments aimed at strengthening public security and reducing drug trafficking, especially in countries with less institutional capacity.”
Rodríguez also emphasizes the importance of revitalizing regional mechanisms, such as the Central American Integration System and CARICOM, to improve operational coordination and intelligence sharing. In his view, “strengthening judicial investigation units is essential to sustain more robust proceedings against criminal networks operating in the Caribbean corridor.”
The Caribbean is at a crossroads in the face of the advance of state-enabled drug trafficking linked to the Maduro regime. However, the intensification of regional and international cooperation opens a window of opportunity to contain this political and criminal threat and strengthen the institutional resilience of island states.
